Green Eyed
by Tempest2004
Summary: Captain Raydor transfers a new female detective to fill the void left by Commander Taylor's transfer. As an odd case breaks for Major Crimes, the new detective brings her own baggage while catching another detectives eye. 1st Closer fic, please R&R!
1. Chapter 1

I don't really know where the inspiration for this came from. Well, where most romance fics come from I suppose. Anyway, this will be my first attempt at not only a Closer Fic, but with an older (at least older than 21 me), more detailed character such as Elizabeth. Sanchez just happened to be the lucky fella. XD If someone remembers or knows where to find the name of it, I'd love to know the name of Captain Raydor's women's league thingy. Or I'll just call it the Women's League thingy. Anyway, enjoy!

Disclaimer: Brenda, Julio, Tao, the Pope, Captain Raydor, Provenza, Flynn and eventually Fritz belong to the creators of The Closer and TNT. Elizabeth belongs to me. I just wish I had her truck.

_1..2...3...4..._

The day started out just like every other. A case, a meeting with the Pope and back to the murder room. What was unusual, was two meetings with the Pope in one day. Brenda walked in, one hand on the strap to her black purse and the other was clenched. Her body was tense and was ready to duke it out with whoever was trying to interfere with her case or her squad. Commander Taylor had asked for a transfer and Brenda had been happy to authorize it. The sinking ship comment smarted a bit, but she had decided it was simply Russell Taylor. She walked into Will's office and stopped short upon seeing Sharon Raydor, her on/off rival and a redhaired woman who looked rather... nervous.

"What is goin' on?" Brenda asked, turning to address Will.

"With Commander Taylor's transfer being approved, that leaves an empty spot in Major Crimes. Captain Raydor's women's league, has petitioned me to add another female detective to your squad." he said with an apologetic shrug.

"Really? And who's that gonna be?" Brenda demanded.

"Me, Chief Johnson. Elizabeth Walker." the redhead woman said and Brenda huffed.

"Where do you come from?" she asked, detecting a hint of an accent.

"Oklahoma, ma'am. Out Tulsa way." she said. Brenda nodded.

"She's a very qualified detective, Chief Johnson." Sharon said quietly. "Six-"

"I can speak for myself, Captain. I've got sixteen years on the force and I've worked pretty much all the divisions. I've been here in LA for two years and I jumped at the offer when Captain Raydor approached me." Elizabeth said. Brenda nodded.

"Well, I could use an extra hand now that Taylor's left. All right." she said and Pope blinked.

"You... You're not gonna fight this? You're not going to pitch a fit?" he asked. Brenda shook her head with a frown.

"No, Will, I am not. I'm sure Detective Walker is a capable investigator, something Commander Taylor most assuredly was not." Brenda said and walked to the door, glancing at Elizabeth. "Well?" she asked and Elizabeth snatched her blue leather purse and slung it over her head as she trotted after her new Chief. Brenda was quiet until they reached the elevator to go down to the Major Crimes division. She glanced at her newest detective. Elizabeth was dressed in blue jeans, a black tank top, a white linen jacket and her blue leather purse was slung over her head. "You ever been down to Atlanta?" Brenda asked.

"Yes, ma'am, I have. A beautiful city and a beautiful state. I'm not trying to butter you up." Elizabeth added at the raised eyebrow Brenda had leveled at her.

"I know." she said and the elevator dinged. Elizabeth had never been so glad to step off an elevator as right then. Brenda lead her into the murder room, all the men turning to stare at her like she was the belle of the ball. Elizabeth resisted the urge to grin. The queen bee and all her workers.

"Listen up." Brenda said, as if she didn't already have their complete attention. "Chief Pope has, with help from the LAPD Women's league, decided to add another female detective to the squad. Come on, step on up." Brenda said, as if speaking to a reluctant horse. Elizabeth clamped down on a surge of anger and nodded.

"Detective Elizabeth Walker." she said and waited for the Chief to continue speaking. The woman acted like she ran the place and Elizabeth couldn't blame her. Brenda Leigh Johnson was used to two things: Things going her way and the unquestioning loyalty of her detectives. Elizabeth was well aware of the Chief's formidable reputation and that was one of the reasons she wanted to work Major Crimes. She also knew it was going make things interesting.

"Detective Walker, these are your fellow officers. Lieutenants Louie Provenza," a general snicker ran through the murder room, quashed by a fierce look from Brenda. "Andrew Flynn and Michael Tao. Sargent David Gabriel and Detective Julio Sanchez. Our civilian surveillance coordinator Buzz Watson. You can have the desk next to Detective Sanchez." Brenda said and walked into her office, drawing the blinds to the squadroom after closing her door.

"Wow, quite the whirlwind, isn't she?" Elizabeth after a moment.

"This a good day." Flynn said and Elizabeth blew a sigh, walking over to sit at her new desk.

"Don't you have any personal effects?" Louie asked as a uniformed officer came in with a box.

"Jim, I told you I'd be down to get it in a minute!" Elizabeth said and the man shrugged.

"Yeah, well." he said and flushed slightly as she smiled at him.

"Thanks. I'll see you around." she said and took the box from him. He nodded and walked away, glancing back at her every now and then.

"Somebody had a crush." Julio said. Elizabeth laughed.

"He's fifteen years my junior. I'm not dating him." she said and Flynn snorted, gesturing at Provenza.

"I wish he'd get that memo." Andrew said and Provenza made a face at him.

"You're just jealous I actually get dates." he shot back.

"Oh, sure, _Louie_." Andy snapped. Elizabeth watched her new colleagues for a minute.

"Okay... Is this Major Crimes or the three stooges?" she muttered to herself.

"Both." Julio said. Elizabeth burst out laughing. "The dynamics are pretty simple. Provenza is the oldest member, so what he says goes. Flynn is the Chief's right hand and her go to guy. Gabriel," Sanchez gestured as he explained. "_Used_ to be her right hand and favorite. There was a falling out." he said and Elizabeth didn't press an obviously tender subject. "Lieutenant Tao and Buzz make up the technical department." he said.

"And what do you do?" Elizabeth asked, taking the lid off her box.

"What my job says. I detect things and run them down on occasion." he said. Elizabeth grinned.

"One of my favorite parts of the job." she said and Julio grinned, nodding.

"Now, you know about the lawsuit, right?" he asked. Elizabeth nodded. "Well, it doesn't effect you since you're new here. But things might get kind of intense here, so be careful." he said and Elizabeth nodded.

"Do I need a score card? You know, keep track of the happenings?" she asked. Julio grinned charmingly at her and Elizabeth ignored the flutter her stomach gave at the sight.

"Just stick with me." he said. Elizabeth grinned again and got up to empty her box. A picture of her parents went next to a book, that she laid down on it's back and place a picture of her baby sister on. She dropped a ceramic pig her father had given her before she moved out to LA from Tulsa directly in front of her and a small rosary went into a glass dish. "Catholic?" Julio asked. Elizabeth snorted.

"Fallen away, actually. The sex scandal was a little too close to home in Tulsa. Turns out my former priest was one of them. I kind of lost interest in going after that." she said. Julio nodded.

"It hit the church pretty hard." he said and crossed himself. "I go once and a while." he said and Elizabeth nodded.

"I haven't been in... About four years now. Two in Oklahoma and two here." she said and her face clouded for a moment and she touched the cross on her neck. "Anyway, I live five miles out of town on a ten acre farm. That's close enough to God for my tastes." she said and Julio nodded. Elizabeth finished emptying her box and tucked it and the lid under her desk and dropped her purse in the bottom left drawer of her desk and her gun went in the second to bottom drawer on her right side. She fell silent as she went through a few files to get up to speed on current events in Major Crimes cases.

"So, what are we working on now?" she asked. Julio passed her the murder book and she flipped through it, absorbing the details. "All right, now, what do we have?" she asked. Julio got up and Elizabeth followed him over to the murder board.

"We put up the pictures, usually drivers license photos or mug shots if they are or have been in prison." he said and Elizabeth nodded. "We write their names and put a dash under them and what we have about them and their alibis so far. If the area we need to cover is big enough, we put a map over on that side," Julio gestured and Elizabeth caught a whiff of his cologne. Damn if he didn't smell good. "But we usually don't. Sometimes we use the screen behind here, but it's a real pain in the ass to use." he said. Elizabeth nodded.

"I know. The one in Hollywood wasn't much better. Damn thing dropped at the worst times." she said. Sanchez laughed.

"Musta been the same guy that installed it." he said and Elizabeth grinned at him.

"Musta been." she agreed, crossing her arms just for something to do with them.

"Anyway, that's mostly it. The rest is self explanatory." he said. She bent over to peer at a piece of evidence and Julio got a view of her behind. And it was a nice one too. She straightened and turned to look at him. His eyes snapped to another part of the board and he could have sworn he heard Provenza laugh behind him. The tips of his ears reddened and he cursed his tendency to blush at the worst time.

"Sounds like you guys have a body with no leads." she said.

"That's not entirely true." Flynn said, hanging up the phone. "I just got a call from the coroners office. Our john doe had a pretty expensive suit on when he kicked the bucket." he said. Elizabeth blinked and glanced at the board.

"I've been to that part of LA. I wouldn't go there in my beat-up old farm truck, much less in a brand new, expensive suit." she said and Flynn shrugged.

"You see some pretty dumb people in this job." he said. Julio grinned.

"Yeah, there was this one case, where the woman hired the guy to kill her husband, but he killed her boyfriend instead. The chief's crazy sister-in-law-" Sanchez broke off as a meaningful cough from the Chief interrupted his story.

"Yes, that's enough, Detective, thank you so much." Brenda said and Julio's mouth seemed to seal itself shut. Elizabeth couldn't decide whether she was impressed or annoyed at the woman's honeyed tone. Brenda Leigh Johnson was a one of a kind woman, but the arrogance she wielded like a club was all over the more powerful and more moneyed parts of Tulsa and were extremely prevalent in Atlanta. Too many old families and old money. "Could we focus on the case at hand?"

"Yes, Chief." Julio said, sounding all the world like a child having been scolded for being too loud in the house. Elizabeth decided she was annoyed by the arrogance in the woman's tone.

"Thank you," Brenda cooed again and Elizabeth resisted the urge to give her a shake and tell her to talk sensibly from now on. "Now, Detectives Sanchez and Walker, please go check the suit out, thank you." Elizabeth tried not to point out the over usage of 'thank you'. It was better than some of those in authority who never even thought it. "Gabriel, come with me, we're going to Medical Examiner's office. Lieutenants Tao, Flynn and Provenza, Buzz, you too, go back to the crime scene and go over it again, Gabriel and I'll meet you there." Brenda said and Gabriel followed her out, swinging his blazer on as he went.

"Does she always get her way?" Elizabeth asked as she pulled her jacket back on and grabbed her service weapon, checking the safety before attaching it and her badge to her belt.

"Usually." Flynn said and they walked out as a group.

"She doesn't mean to be bossy. Well, okay, not _that_ much." Provenza said and Elizabeth shook her head.

"What, she was showing off for me?" she asked, confusion clear in her voice.

"It's like... A territorial thing. Ya know, like, cows." Flynn said, taking the toothpick out of his mouth.

"Cattle aren't territorial. They're too stupid." Elizabeth corrected, sounding unusually certain. "They'll follow who ever's dominant, but they aren't territorial." she said.

"You sound pretty sure about that." Julio said. Elizabeth shrugged.

"Well, I've got a cow, a heifer with a calf on the way, another calf on the ground, a steer for eating and I've been doing this since I was seventeen. I think I know cows." she said.

_5_..._6...7...8..._

Julio sat in the riders seat, not used to being the one that had to ride. He was better driving than riding, but Elizabeth had politely declined his offer to drive. The F-150 was smooth and gentle in her hands, accelerating and decelerating as easily as if she wasn't pressing on the pedals at all.

"Now, where's this store?" she asked. Julio glanced at the directions.

"Just up here, left side of the street." he said and Elizabeth nodded, easing into a parallel parking space and shutting the truck off. Julio noted a ring on her right hand with turquiose and red jasper stones. It was a man's ring.

"The ring from your boyfriend?" he asked, not really wanting to know the answer. She laughed and got out and walked around to the sidewalk before answering.

"Nah. I picked it up at the Flea Market the other day. I just liked the look of it." she said as he jumped out of the truck. She slid her glasses off and ran her hand through her hair as they walked into the store. "Really?" she said pointing at a pair of pre-stressed jeans. "I do the same thing just by wearing them!" she said and shook her head. "City people." Elizabeth muttered under her breath and Julio grinned.

"Hey, I'm a city person too." Julio said.

"Yeah, but you're different." she said and Julio grinned. "Hi, Detectives Walker and Sanchez. Could we speak to the manager, please?" Elizabeth said and the clerk nodded, walking off to get the manager. Elizabeth stared around at the clothes and shook her head. They were beautiful, but nothing that she would wear on a dare. The door opened and she watched as a gentleman walked in. He looked familiar as he approached the tie counter. Elizabeth's brow furrowed as she tried to place him.

"Julio, do you have that photo of the victim?" she asked and he passed her the photo. She looked between the photo and the gentlemen who had just walked in. "Look at the photo, then the guy at the tie counter." Elizabeth said, passing it back to him. Julio looked at the photo, then at the gentlemen and his eyes widened slightly.

"Let's go talk to him." he said. Elizabeth nodded, defering to him because he was the senior detective in Major Crimes.

"What about the manager?" she asked and Julio gestured silently at the gentlemen then were approaching. "Point." she admitted.

"Excuse me, sir? Detectives Sanchez and Walker, could we speak to you for a moment?" Julio asked and the man turned and Elizabeth swallowed. One eyes was a glassy blue, while the other was a deep blue.

"Certainly." he said calmly, shifting to rest his hands on his stomach.

"Do you know this man?" Sanchez asked and showed him the photo. His eyes widened and he took a step back.

"Thats... That's my brother." he said.

"Are you identical twins?" Elizabeth asked and the man smiled a little sickly.

"Well, we were. God, I thought something was wrong when I didn't hear from him. Can I see the body?" he asked. Elizabeth smiled and took a step forward and to the side, to escort him out when he hurled on Julio's shoes. Sanchez took on a long suffering look as Elizabeth studied the ceiling, trying not to grin. It was never funny... Except when it was. When she finally looked down, she had to look away as he gingerly lifted a foot, shook it carefully and stepped back, doing the same with the other foot.

"Are you done?" he asked courteously of her. Elizabeth nodded, shoulders tensing as she tried not to burst out laughing.

"Y-Yes." she said in a little voice, still trying not to laugh. He made a face and helped her to gently pull their suspect along. "Are you all right, sir?" she asked before she helped him into her truck.

"I-I'm fine now." he said and he did look a bit better. After helping him, Julio started to climb in when Elizabeth interrupted him.

"Uh-uh. Shoes in the back." she said, pointing at the back of the truck.

"I am not riding barefoot, what if we have to chase someone?" Julio retorted. Elizabeth smiled at him.

"Then we'll just throw one of your shoes and knock them out. In. The. Back." she reiterrated and Julio sighed, unlacing his dress shoes and kicking them off, then putting them in the back. "You can have them back when we get there." Elizabeth said sweetly and Julio muttered something in spanish under his breath. "Same to you." she replied calmly and he stared at her curiously.

"You speak spanish?" he asked.

"Fluently." she replied and he muttered lower under his breath, just below where she could hear him. She grinned and pulled out, noting he was wearing light blue socks today. "Nice socks by the way." the look he shot her would have killed a lesser woman even as he dialed the murder room.

_9...10...11...12..._

"Julio?" Provenza asked as Julio walked into the murder room in socks with his shoes in a plastic bag.

"Yes, Lieutenant." he answered, waiting for the question.

"Why aren't you wearing your shoes?" Provenza asked.

"Because the victims brother, in the conference room, Chief," Julio said to Brenda before sitting down. "Hurled on my shoes in the store and _she_," this was said with enough venom to power a thousand rattlesnakes for at least a decade. "Made me ride barefoot with my shoes in the back." he continued as Elizabeth walked in.

"Bitch, bitch, bitch. Good grief, you'd think I made you ride in the back with 'em." she said. Provenza grinned while Flynn snorted and turned back to his desk.

"Well, what the hell am I supposed to do for shoes now? This was my extra pair." he said, hefting the bag. Elizabeth shook her head at him.

"What size are you?" she asked.

"10." he said. Elizabeth nodded, reaching for the bottom right drawer of her desk.

"Black or blue?" she asked, lifting two pairs of cowboy boots. All eyes turned to her, even Brenda's.

"What, in the world, are you doing with two pairs of cowboy boots?" Provenza asked. Elizabeth grinned.

"There was a guy in Tulsa I was arresting for murder. There was a stomach virus running around the city and he'd caught it from the victim. He puked all over my boots. Well, it was either wet leather or shoe covers for the rest of the day. The next day, since it was my day off, I went bought a couple extra pairs of boots. Now, black or blue?" she asked. Julio glanced at the black suit he was wearing over a light blue shirt.

"Black." he said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"But blue would match your shirt and your socks!" Elizabeth teased. The tips of his ears reddened.

"Just give me the damn black boots." he snarled.

"Ooh, touchy, touchy." Elizabeth said as Julio snatched the proffered boots from her.

"How the hell do you put these things on?" he asked. Provenza laughed as Elizabeth shook her head.

"Roll your pant leg up, then grab the straps on the side and pull them on, while sliding your foot in. You might have to stomp them on. I haven't worn them much." she said and Julio did as instructed, then with the other.

"Well," Brenda said. "Now that Detective Sanchez's footwear problem is solved," the blush around his ears deepened and spread. "What can you tell me about the victims brother?" Brenda said. Elizabeth turned back to her computer.

"Bobby Frizzell," Elizabeth snorted. "He and his brother were Karaoke champions in several local competitions. Benny, his brother, is the one in the morgue. Bobby has a glass eye after an accident as a child." Elizabeth said, turning to look at Brenda. "Seems he was playing with a potato gun and, uh, put his eye out."

"A real 'hey, ya'll, watch 'is' moment." Provenza said and Brenda raised an eyebrow at him. He coughed and turned to his computer, busily doing nothing.

"Anyway, Benny was arrested a week ago for a fight in a bar, no redneck jokes, please, over somebody spilling a drink on him. The man was severely beaten. His buddies were about to kill Benny when Bobby and the police stopped them." she said.

"Yeah, and that wasn't Benny's first arrest. I just got this from the Sheriff's department." Gabriel said and handed the file to Brenda. She flipped through it.

"My, my. Quite the temper on him. Well, let's just hope that isn't the case with his twin. Detective Sanchez, with me. Thank you." she said and again Elizabeth's teeth ground together at that sound. Julio walked behind her, stumbling a little.

"Roll your feet!" Elizabeth called after him and he did, walking better in the boots. Provenza shook his head.

"You know he likes you." he said. Elizabeth nodded.

"Yeah, I know." she replied. "You don't expect me to make it easy, do you?" she said and something niggled the back of her mind. She got up and walked over to stand next to Provenza. "Julio seems like a really loyal guy. But, he wears a wedding band." she said softly, leaning her hip against the desk. Provenza made a shooing motion with his hand and Elizabeth straightened up with an amused look.

"He's a widower. Has been for about nine years now." he said. "We don't know what happened and it's not our place to ask." he said meaningfully. "If Julio wants to tell you, then he'll tell you. Just don't push it."

"Me? Pushy? Never."

_13...14...15...16..._

"Hello, I'm Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson. Mr. Frizzell, is it?" she asked. Julio took a seat next to her and Brenda set her file down.

"Call me, Bobby, please. Oh, I'm sorry about your shoes. Uh, breakfast didn't agree with me this morning." he said and Julio smiled tightly.

"It's all right." he said and Brenda waved her hand to regain his attention.

"Yes, hi. Um, you and your brother were, uh, karaoke champions. What, exactly, does that mean?" she asked.

"Well, there are local contests and those go up to a regional and then state level. No national level, yet." Bobby said.

"And were you workin' on creatin' a national level?" Brenda asked, somewhat incredously.

"Weelll, ya see, there's already a national level. California's just not a part of it. We want it to be, but... No go." he said. Julio nodded slowly, glancing at the chief.

"I see. Now, do you know why someone might want to kill your brother?" she asked. Bobby shook his head.

"Benny was... He was handful, but he was good people, you know?" he said. Brenda and Julio nodded. "I mean, he had a temper, that's for sure, but it doesn't mean he was a bad guy." Bobby said.

"There was a fight, a week ago where your brother was almost killed until you and the police showed up." Brenda said, pulling out the incident report and showing it to him.

"Yeah, I remember. That was, um, at the Starlight lounge." he said. Brenda raised an eyebrow.

"Starlight... Lounge? I thought that was in Vegas." she said.

"Ah, no, no, this is a different one. This is a karaoke club. Mostly amateurs, but there are a few-"

"Professionals." Brenda said. Bobby nodded.

"Exactly. There was this big competition for money for that night and Benny had had a few. We were almost ready to go on when this big guy bumped into Benny and spilled his beer down his shirt. I wanted to let it go, but Benny wanted him to apologize. When the guy wouldn't... Benny laid into him. He was really big on respect like that." Bobby said.

"Would one of the man's friends want to kill him?" Julio asked.

"It's possible. They were pretty upset. I mean, who wouldn't be? But, no, I don't think they'd want to kill him." A knock on the wall caught Brenda's attention and Gabriel motioned towards the Murder Room where Pope was waiting.

"Would you excuse me, please? Thank you so much. Detective Sanchez, would you please arrange an escort for Mr. Frizzell home?" Brenda said. Julio nodded.

"Yes, Chief." he said and Brenda gathered her files and walked out.

"Chief Pope has an announcement." Gabriel said and Brenda froze, staring at him.

"An announcment?" she said, before starting again.

"Ah, Chief Johnson." he said in greeting. "I was just getting acquainted with your newest detective." he gestured at Elizabeth. She nodded and moved from between the two.

"Well, isn't that nice?" Brenda said, imitating her mother. "So, what's this big announcement?" she asked. Will rocked on his heels for a moment, before grinning like a little boy.

"I have decided to make Elizabeth's transfer permanent!" he said. There was silence in the murder room.

"There was doubt?" Brenda and Elizabeth asked at the same time. The silence deepened.

"Well, not exactly. See, the transfer wasn't permanent until I approved it. And I did!" he said, pleased. Brenda and Elizabeth glanced at each. Elizabeth walked back to her desk while Brenda pushed her way past Will to her office.

"What? I thought it was good news!" Will said.

"It was, sir, it was." Commander Taylor said.

"What do you want, Commander?" Provenza asked.

"I just came to finish collecting my things." he said and Elizabeth watched him walk into his office.

"Is it just me, or is he a kiss ass?" she asked, leaning back in her chair and crossing her legs at the knee.

"No, he's a kiss ass." Flynn said. Sanchez, catching the tail end, grinned.

"Commander Taylor?" he asked and they both nodded. "Yeah, he's a kiss ass." he said.

"Who is?" Commander Taylor asked.

"Oh, just a guy that works at my feedstore." Elizabeth lied smoothly. "I think he's trying to take over the store." Elizabeth said and Commander Taylor nodded, walking away, whistling. It wasn't until they were certain he was gone that Elizabeth started to laugh.

"Where the hell did you learn to lie like that?" Flynn asked. Elizabeth grinned.

"I was the middle of three kids with two annoying brothers. I learned how to lie very quickly." she said. Captain Sharon Raydor walked into the murder room and immediately approached Elizabeth.

"Please, stand up, Detective." she said as two uniformed officers came up to flank her. Elizabeth glanced at them, then the others.

"Captain, if this was about the comment about lying to Commander Taylor, it was nothing to do with police business..." she said, getting up.

"No, Detective, that's not what this is about." Sharon said.

"Wh-What's going on?" Elizabeth said as Captain Raydor crossed her arms.

"Detective Walker, I'm going to have to ask you to come with me. You've been accused of taking a bribe to ignore vital evidence in a case." she said. One uniformed officer gestured for Elizabeth to walk on ahead of them as Captain Raydor lead them out.

"Would somebody please call my union rep.? Thank you!" Elizabeth called. Julio flipped through his contacts even as he picked up the phone. He glanced up as she walked out of sight. Provenza caught the slightly sick look on his face even as he dialed the numbers.

_17_..._18...19...20..._

Please R&R!

0


	2. 911 special chapter

I hope this doesn't come off as trite. I have trouble writing things like this, but I wanted too. That's why this will be a special, out of continuity chapter! This chapter is dedicated to those who died on that day, ten years ago. All I can say in memory of those people is this: We got him for you.

Disclaimer: Julio, Brenda, Will, Fritz, Tao, Provenza, Flynn, Buzz and Raydor belong to the creators of the Closer and TNT. Elizabeth belongs to me.

_10... 9..._

It was one of the first things Interim Chief Will Pope did. He sat down with all of his divison Chief's and Captain's and planned out a memorial service for the Los Angeles Police Department, in conjuction with the Fire Department and Emergency Services.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," he said to the gathered brass. "As you know, this marks the ten year anniversary of what happened in New York. Of September Eleventh. I say we do something about it." he said. There was immediate agreement. With help from the Public Relations department, a large memorial service was planned in the park. The public was more than welcome and the LAPD was all encouraged to come out. It was mandatory for the Major Crimes Unit. Pope wanted a show of strength and solidarity, meaning that the officers were told to wear their dress uniforms and black bands over their badges.

"You look nice." Julio said as Elizabeth walked in. Her hair was pulled into a bun at the nape of her neck, held in place by hidden bobby pins and there was a small american flag pinned to both sides of the collar of her uniform. Julio motioned for her to turn around to lay her collar flat.

"Thanks." she said and her face was pale, drawn.

"You okay?" he asked, putting his hand on her shoulder. She shrugged.

"Nightmare last night. I guess it's sticking with me today." she said.

"Is everybody ready?" Provenza asked and Elizabeth forced a bright smile.

"Wow, you look snazzy, Lieutenant. You too, Lieutenant Flynn." she said. Flynn shrugged, his ever-present toothpick now absent.

"Thanks, kid." he said and eyed her. "You look pale." he said and Elizabeth shook her head.

"If I sparkled too, would you guys comment on that?" she asked and the two lieutenants looked at each other in confusion as Julio snickered.

"All right, lets go." Brenda said, swinging her purse over her shoulder. They fell in step behind their Chief. They walked down to the lobby where the rest of the department was waiting. In consideration of the fact that many of the officers hadn't been in dress shoes in a long time, the park for the memorial had been chosen a short distance from the new building. Pope had given orders that they would walk, not ride, to the memorial service. Many of the older chiefs had complained and the mounted police chief had offered to let them ride. They stopped complaining.

"I haven't seen this many police officers since Chief Delk's funeral." Flynn said as they fell into the parade behind Brenda, with FID, lead by Captain Raydor, walking beside them. The departments came two at a time, with two mounted units ahead and behind the procession. and the rest acting as a buffer between the sunday traffic and the procession on the sidewalk.

"Yes well, the mayor's meeting us at the park along with the city council and lot of the public." Will said, overhearing the comment. "Detective Walker, your uncle was there, correct?" Will asked and Elizabeth stared at him.

"Sir?" she asked.

"Wasn't he?" Will asked and Elizabeth swallowed before answering.

"Yes, sir." she said. She stumbled and Julio caught her arm, keeping her from falling.

"You're volunteering to speak." Pope said.

"I am?" Elizabeth asked, a bit flustered as Julio kept a light hold on her arm, helping her maintain her balance against the surprising questions.

"You are." Will said, the finality clear in his tone.

"Yes, sir, I am." Elizabeth agreed. Julio gave her arm a gentle squeeze before releasing it. "You do know my uncle survived." Elizabeth offered. Will's step didn't falter in the slightest.

"You're still speaking."

"So I am, sir."

_8... 7..._

Major Crimes sat by Chief Johnson as Will climbed onto stage behind the podium.

"Ten years ago, today, at 8:46 eastern time, a plane, a 767, hit the South tower of the World Trade Center. Minutes later, at 9:06, another plane, a 767, hit the North tower of the World Trade Center. Moments later, two planes hit the Pentagon at the same time, while another plane went down in a Pennsylvania field. Flight 93. On that day the collective United States halted. On that day, the United States, became United again. We have been divided since, over budgets, race, religion, any number of factors. And except for those wackos," there was a smattering of laughter. "Who decided that September 11th, 2001, was God's wrathful vengence against the United States and not the work of a terrorist organization, we stand united, once a year, on this day." Will paused, looked down, then up again. "Republican and Democrat, Black, White, Hispanic, Jewish, Catholic, Christian, Buddhist and Wiccan. On that day, we were all Americans. Here, on the West Coast, we were, perhaps, not as affected as those on the East Coast, certainly not in New York. But a few of our public servants had family there, that day in New York. Chief Williams?" Will said and let the Fire Chief stand up.

"Will Firefighter Thomas Roberts, please stand up?" The fire chief said and an older man stood up, sighed shakily and walked up onto the stage.

"My, um, my son was working in New York on that day. He'd just started after a year in the fire academy. He survived, while his fellow firefighters didn't." the man broke down crying for a long moment. "He described, what it was like... There was terror, yes, but there was bravery that day. He kept going back, day after day until they couldn't do anymore. They talk about superheroes, with special powers and abilities in the comics. Not all superheroes are fictional. Sometimes... Sometimes just getting up and going back in is a superpower." he said and shook his head. "I-I'm sorry." he said and Chief Williams nodded.

"It's okay, Tom. Go ahead and sit down." he said. Will took the podium again.

"I just recieved word," Will lifted an piece of paper. "That our second speaker, an officer from traffic, will not be able to attend due to emotional reasons. Her daughter died that day, going in to rescue those who were still trapped. I suppose that leaves the last police speaker. Detective Walker, would you please?" Will gestured. Elizabeth looked reluctant.

"I don't..." she shook her head. Will's face hardened slightly.

"It'll be okay. Go ahead." Julio encouraged gently. Elizabeth stood up and edged her way past Julio, Provenza and Flynn, who squeezed her hand. She squeezed back and walked up onto the stage slowly. Will let her have the podium and a sick feeling of nervousness all but swept her away as she looked out over the gathered sea of black police uniforms, black and white fire department and emergency services uniforms. The public wasn't helping either. Elizabeth glanced down at the familiar faces of Major Crimes, Brenda, Fritz, Gabriel, Provenza, Flynn, Tao, Buzz and finally Julio, who smiled a little and nodded.

"My Uncle was in New York, that day. It was, a year later and I was drinking with him on the back porch, during his once a year week-long visit home. And we got to talking about our experiences on the job. I asked him, what it was like. He said 'You've been in dust storms, Lizzie, how do you think it was? You couldn't see your hand in front of your face, you couldn't breathe, couldn't see... Your throat gets covered in ash. You can't speak.' He paused for a minute, then said 'It was hell. But, in a sad kind of way, it was also sort of good. I mean, yeah, you had your everyday heroes and the civilians going in. But you also had the worst going in. The pickpockets, muggers, burgalers. There were mafia goons and thugs, hell even a couple of mafia bosses. I mean, these were guys who hadn't had a good run since highschool!' and he laughed. 'I even found myself sittin' down to rest next to one of the biggest crime bosses in the city and he had tears, just rollin' down his face.'," Elizabeth stopped and stared down at the podium. "'I coulda arrested him, Lizzie, we had the evidence on him, I swear to god, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. Not that day. Now, I had my badge hangin' around my neck, so he knew who I was, but he looked at me and he started talkin'. He said after everything I've done, everything I've ordered, all the sins I've committed... I've never seen anything like this.' My uncle laughed a little then. 'I don't think I've ever seen a day when a cop and mob boss walked into a place of chaos and started working together. But we did. That day we did.' After that, he wouldn't say anymore. But..." Elizabeth paused and shook her head. "I wonder, sometimes, what the world, what the United States would be like, if September 11th, 2001 had just been another tuesday, in another year. If the World Trade Center still stood, if hundreds hadn't died in the Pentagon. But, even as I wish those people were still with us, those hearts still beated... I think maybe my uncle was right. In a sad kind of way, it was sort of good. Flight 93 was set to strike the Pentagon, again. But those people... The passengers." Elizabeth paused, tears running down her face. "They stood up, and in one voice, said 'no.' And they brought the plane down in a field. They sacrificed themselves to save others. I just... I get chills, of both grief and pride, when I think about those who saved others lives at the cost of their own." Elizabeth said and looked at Will. He nodded and Elizabeth stepped back down off the stage. Reaching her row, she edged back in and sat down next to Julio.

"You did really good." he murmured, reaching out to squeeze her hand. Elizabeth squeezed back, leaving her hand in his, as her other hand wiped at her face.

"We lay our lives down, everyday, in defense of those who can't defend themselves. But even as we face danger and death, there are those, who are fighting overseas, right now, who are fighting a war for freedom, not just for the people of the United States," Will paused. "But for the people of the world. I ask you to join us, in a moment of prayer, then silence for those who lost their lives, who will never be forgotten, for those sacrificed themselves to save others and for those who still fight to this day, this hour, this minute, for us and our freedoms." Will said. A preacher stood up from the gathered officials and stood behind the podium.

"Let us bow our heads," he said. Elizabeth and Julio, in one motioned, crossed themselves. "Dear lord, we ask that you look after those who died today, ten years ago, across these United States in New York state, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Guide those souls through your infinite grace, wisdom and love, O lord. Protect our service men and women as they fight to defend the weak, defeat evil at all turns and lay down their lives, for their country and their fellow soldiers. Bless too, Dear lord, the police officers, who protect and serve us throughout the day and night, the fire fighters who fight the fires of death to save the weak and troubled and the Emergency Service personnel, who offer comfort and healing to those who are injured. In the name of the father, the son and holy ghost. Amen." the preacher said. Every thought wrapped in the owner's head was thought and released to the universe, in the moment of silence for those lost and those waiting to come home.

"Amen." the gathering said in one voice. As it broke up, Julio released Elizabeth's hand and she smiled slightly.

"That was an excellent job, Detective Walker." Brenda said and Elizabeth nodded.

"Thank you, Chief. I just kind of rambled through it." Elizabeth said, trying to brush the embarrassing praise off as gracefully as possible.

"It was still well done." Fritz said and sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Are you okay, Fritzi?" Brenda asked as the others moved away.

"My, um... My brother was at the Pentagon, Brenda. He was killed in the initial impact." Fritz said and Brenda's face melted.

"Oh, my goodness... Fritzi, I'm so sorry!" she said and hugged him. Fritz smiled and held his wife tightly against him. When she pulled back, he brushed her cheek with his thumb. "That's why I get so paranoid over you. I don't want to lose you." he said. Brenda shrugged.

"Well, with that sister of yours, of course you'd want someone sane!" she said and Fritz raised an eyebrow and Brenda smiled mischeviously.

"Oops, did I say that outloud?" she asked. Fritz shook his head.

"Yes, you did." he said, bending down to kiss her.

_6...5... 4..._

Elizabeth sank down into her chair at her desk and glanced around. Flynn and Provenza were arguing by the vending machine, likely over the last pack of gum, Tao was busy working on their latest case on his computer with Buzz's help. Julio had stepped away somewhere and Gabriel was sitting at his desk, pouring over a file. Elizabeth picked up the phone and dialed a familiar number, after checking the clock.

"_Hello?_" a male voice asked and Elizabeth smiled.

"Uncle Nate? Hi, it's Elizabeth." she said. The voice chuckled on the other end.

"_How you doin' today, kiddo?_" he asked and Elizabeth heard him walking.

"I'm doing okay. We just got back from a big memorial. The Chief of Police, interim, surprised me by asking me to speak." she said. Nate snorted.

"_Figures, brass likes to spring shit like that. What'd you say?_" he asked and Elizabeth caught the unspoken warning.

"Oh, just about how its our duty to protect and serve and stuff. Hey, after you get done with your visit home, think maybe you could wrangle a week of leave to come see me here in LA? I'd love for you to meet my partner." Elizabeth said.

"_Isn't he a mexican kid? Sancho or somethin'?_" Nate asked and Elizabeth grinned. Only her uncle. His own partner was hispanic, who would give him no end of grief after a remark like that.

"Sanchez, Uncle Nate, Sanchez." Elizabeth corrected, laughing.

"_Sanchez, huh? He any relation?_" Nate asked and Elizabth shook her head.

"I don't know. I'd ask but he'd tear my head off." she said, leaning back to put her feet up on the desk. The 11th of September was usually a quiet day case wise.

"_Well, don't let him push you around. So, tell me about him_." Nate said. As Elizabeth described Julio, the subject of conversation appeared, with someone walking beside him, on a cellphone. "_Huh, sounds like this kid I'm standing next to. Turn around, Lizzie_." Nate said. Elizabeth turned and her uncle snapped his cellphone closed. Elizabeth hung up and turned to look at Julio.

"You got a call before you came back from the desk in the lobby. If we'd taken the lobby entrance, you could have walked him up here yourself." Julio said. Elizabeth laughed and hugged her uncle.

"Julio was telling me about what you said." Nate said and Elizabeth smiled sheepishly.

"Hey, we'd get out of practice as detectives, if we didn't lie at least once and while." Elizabeth said and Nate shook his head as Elizabeth grabbed an extra chair for him to sit and catch up.

_3... 2..._

"Thank you, Julio, for walking him up." Elizabeth said as Julio walked her to her truck, conviently parked next to his, of course.

"Oh, it's no problem. I'm just sorry he had to leave in the same day." he said as they reached her truck. Elizabeth shrugged.

"My uncle likes to get around. He said he'd be back and he would be." Elizabeth said and sighed.

"What is it?" Julio asked. Elizabeth shook her head.

"I wonder what the world would be like, if Lincoln, Kennendy and King hadn't been killed. If September 11th had never happened." Elizabeth said. Julio snorted.

"I don't know, Elizabeth. I'll see you tomorrow though." he said. Elizabeth nodded. At least something good had come from today. Julio had used her first name for the first time.

_1..._

Please R&R.

0


	3. Chapter 2

I've heard from a very reliable source that Elizabeth comes off a little strongly. Does she? I've noticed she's bossy in certain areas and I've tried to tone that down in this chapter. Please let me know how I'm doing. She's a difficult character and gets away from me sometimes. Lemme know!

Disclaimer: Sanchez, Brenda, Fritz, Flynn, Provenza, Tao, Buzz, Pope, Raydor, Willie Rae and Clay belong to TNT and the creators of the Closer. Elizabeth Walker, Ken Johnson and The Voice belong to me. Now, with that out of the way, I feel that I should add this. Whatever racial insult, slurs or comments The Voice makes is neither condoned, endorsed or used by me, the author. I'm merely telling the story the bunnies owned by the muses currently dancing the Hokey-Pokey, Macarena and the YMCA in my head tell me to. Don't worry, The Voice will get all that is coming to it.

_1 mississippi... 2 mississippi... 3 mississippi... 4 mississippi..._

Elizabeth sat, cooling her heels in Captain Raydor's office. It was surprisingly warmly decorated and welcoming. The walls had pictures drawn and framed by Captain Raydor's kids, the desk was wooden, highly polished, reminding her of Provenza's desk. There was a picture of Captain Raydor and Chief Delk. Elizabeth felt a brief, almost mechanical feeling of grief. She'd never met Chief Delk and had attended the funeral simply because he'd been their chief and he had been a fellow officer. The carpet was the standard blue industrial, but a pair of rugs warmed up the carpet. Elizabeth still felt cold, wondering what case it was about, wondering when Captain Raydor would come in, wondering if someone would even call her a union rep. Wondering who had filed the complaint. The door creaked open and Elizabeth turned, expecting it to be Captain Raydor. It was a slim little man with short brown hair, a pair of bright blue eyes in a well-tailored dark blue suit with an expensive looking black leather briefcase.

"Hi, you must be Detective Walker," he said extending his hand. "I'm Ken Johnson. No relation." he said and Elizabeth grinned.

"Call me Elizabeth, please." she said. "Yeah, you don't have the Georgia accent." she said. Ken grinned back.

"Julio called me to be your Union Rep. We're old friends." he said. Elizabeth's eyebrows raised almost to her hairline. He seemed to realize his mistake and laughed. "That's totally not what I meant. No, we grew up together." he said.

"Really? Hm. I wouldn't have figured." she said. Ken shrugged, grinning and moved to sit down next to her.

"Yeah, we were the only white family in the neighborhood and Julio looked out for me. All right, down to business. What are the charges?" he said.

"Appearently I've been accused of taking a bribe to ignore vital evidence in a case." she said, shrugging.

"Do you know for what case?" he asked and Elizabeth shook her head, gathering her hair to put it up in a ponytail.

"No, I don't. I can't even imagine which one it might be. And I want to answer her questions, no bones about it." she said, stemming the tide of objection. The door opened and this time it was Captain Raydor who walked in. Elizabeth watched her neutrally and ignored the slightly queasy feeling in her stomach. The Captain reached into her desk and turned a digital recorder on and Elizabeth's stomach spiked with nervousness and nausea at the sight, but she clamped down hard on the feeling, refusing acknowledge it.

"Do you know why you're here?" Sharon asked, her voice quiet in the office.

"No, ma'am." Elizabeth replied, falling back on the ingrained manners taught in her childhood. "I was accused, but I can't possibly think of what case it might be from." she said.

"If I may? Yes, Ken Johnson, no relation, Detective Walker's Union rep. My client has stipulated that she wants to answer all your questions. I will, however, interrupt if I think my client is being threatened. Understood?" he said to both of them and Elizabeth nodded while Sharon inclined her head.

"Of course. Detective Walker, do you remember the Carson O'Malley murder in the fall of last year?" she asked and Elizabeth nodded.

"Yes, ma'am, I remember."

"Can you tell me about it?" Raydor asked,

"Yes, ma'am. I had just moved here from Tulsa and I was assigned to the Hollywood division. Carson was a young man found with his throat slit and his eyes gouged out on Rodeo drive outside a popular store for young men of his persuasion. There was a pentagram, not a pentacle, was carved into his belly." she said. Sharon's brow furrowed slightly.

"Is there a difference?" she asked.

"Yes, ma'am. A pentacle is a symbol for evil and a pentagram is a symbol for good." Elizabeth explained. "We investigated a local Wiccan Coven, just to be safe, but all the members checked out. After digging deeper, both a boyfriend and an ex-boyfriend were found to have had contact with the victim recently. The boyfriend, Richard Blake directed us towards the ex-boyfriend, Riley McNamara. Blake said the ex was the best lead for the investigation." she said.

"And what happened?" Sharon asked.

"We investigated the ex and the man's current boyfriend provided a triple verified alibi for the suspect. Mr. Blake failed to provide any kind of an alibi. We found blood in his car and matched it to Carson. When we were taking him to be processed, he offered me, specifically, five hundred thousand dollars if I would just 'lose' the DNA evidence against him." Elizabeth said.

"And your response?" Sharon asked, leaning forward.

"I told him to go to hell, begging your pardon." Elizabeth said with an apologetic shrug.

"Of course, Detective. What was Mr. Blake's response?" Sharon asked, leaning back and scribbling something down in a notebook.

"'You first'. My Captain called me in a little later and told me that the ADA wasn't really sure about the strength of the case, so they wanted to get Mr. Blake on another charge. They set me up with a wire, a disposable cell phone and I went down to booking to see him. See if he was serious about the offer." Elizabeth said. Sharon wrote all this down and looked up at her.

"What happened?" she asked curiously.

"He said he was. And since he was in booking, in the Parker Centre, I wasn't searched. The gentlemen entered the numbers and I was able to return the phone back to the ADA for another charge on attempting to bribe a police officer." Elizabeth said.

"Did you ever think about taking the money?" Sharon asked. Ken's glance flickered to Elizabeth, who grinned.

"Afterwards, I did. I sat down and calculated everything it could have paid for. It would have paid for everything I ever wanted and more. But it would have been blood money. Nothing good could ever have come from it. I just couldn't use it and feel good about it." Elizabeth explained and if Ken could have jumped up and down for joy without affecting his professional reputation, he would have. That was a perfect answer to a question like that. Captain Raydor nodded and wrote that down.

"So tell me, did Mr. Blake ever contact you afterward about more money?" she asked. As Elizabeth began to answer, the door banged open and Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson barged in, looking ready to tear someone's head off.

"Captain Raydor, might I inquire as to what my detective is doin' here, after being marched out of the murder room like...some sort of suspect!" Brenda said, making a wide waving gesture. Elizabeth appreciated the sentiment, but had to duck out of the way to keep from getting hit with the Chief's hand and her wedding rings.

"Chief Johnson-"

"Now, I find it offensive! If you want to talk to my detectives, please come and see me! Don't just march them out of the squad room!" Brenda fumed and Captain Raydor held up her hand to stem the tide.

"Chief, please! If you will let me speak, then I can explain!" Sharon said and Brenda looked put out, sitting down on the couch. "I did not make Detective Walker do a perp walk out of your squad room. Two uniformed officers escorted us out." Captain Raydor explained. "I was merely following protocol."

"Well, when you say it like that, it just makes it sound all right!" Brenda said with another broad gesture. Elizabeth felt a little impressed that the Chief was defending her like this. It was more than her other superiors would have done. Or had done in the past.

"Chief, Captain, please." Elizabeth said, catching their attention. "Detective Sanchez called a friend of his to act as my union rep. and he tried to convince me not to answer the questions. I did nothing wrong and I will answer the questions truthfully." she said and both women looked at each other. Brenda crossed her arms and leaned back in the couch, clearly unhappy, but allowing her Detective to speak.

"Go ahead, Detective." Sharon said.

"In answer to your question, Captain. No, he didn't. Once the ADA had the evidence she needed, Mr. Blake was sent to Stockton Penitentiary and I have neither heard nor seen him since." Elizabeth said and Sharon scribbled something down.

"Thank you, Detective. That's all of my questions." Captain Raydor said and got up. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to put you on restricted duty. A desk." she said and Elizabeth sighed, then grinned.

"Well, it's better than being fired!" she said. Sharon nodded and Ken walked out of the office with Brenda, discussing something while Elizabeth paused. "Captain, can you tell me who filed the complaint? I'm allowed to know about something like this." she said. Sharon flipped through the file as Ken came back to the doorway.

"An anonymous complainent filed it." Sharon said and looked up. All the color had drained from Elizabeth's face, as though she had just heard the worst news of her life.

"Male?" she asked in a quiet voice.

"Yes." Sharon said and her eyes narrowed slightly. "Is something wrong?"

"Um, no, no, Captain. Thank you." Elizabeth turned to go, almost running into Ken. He smiled and motioned for her to walk ahead of him with Brenda. "Chief?" Elizabeth asked in small voice.

"Yes, Detective?" Brenda asked, glancing at the younger woman.

"I wanted to say thank you for barging in like that. None of my other superiors would have even noticed." Elizabeth said with a shake of her head. Brenda nodded.

"Yes, well, I stand by my detectives when they're in trouble. Just ask Lieutenants Flynn and Provenza about it." Brenda said and Elizabeth grinned.

_21...22...23...24..._

Ken walked with them back in to the murder room. Brenda, seeing that Fritz was waiting for her in her office, politely excused herself from them.

"Well, what happened?" Julio demanded after greeting Ken.

"Desk duty until it's cleared up. I'm not being charged with anything." Elizabeth said and sat down. "I'd rather be on desk duty than fired." she said and Provenza nodded in agreement. As the two struck up a conversation about the benefits and annoyances about being on desk duty, Ken put his hand on Julio's shoulder. He turned to the concerned look on his friend's face.

"Julio, could I speak with you privately for a minute?" Ken asked and Julio nodded, leading him into the breakroom and shutting the door. Ken set his briefcase on the table and walked behind the counter, to put some distance between himself and the glass. Julio followed curiously. "Considering that you special requested me for this, and knowing you as well as I do, I have to assume there's more to you and this woman than just colleagues." Ken said carefully, testing for his friend's reaction. Julio shrugged off-handedly, clearly avoiding the meaning of the question.

"No, we just met today." Julio said, leaning back against the counter. "I mean, she's hot, there's no question about _that_..." he trailed off at the look on Ken's face. "What?" he asked.

"We've been friends for a long time, I mean a _long_ time. I was with you when you met Linda," a flicker of pain crossed Julio's face and he absently touched the wedding band he still wore. "When she... When you lost her. I know you, Julio. I know when you're serious about a woman and you're serious about this one. I mean, dead serious. You never would have called and asked me to help if you weren't. And don't try to deny it." he said to Julio's open mouth. "Look, most cops, when they're accused of something like this, they demand to know who did it, so they can confront them. Not her. Not Elizabeth. She asked who it was. Raydor said it was an anonymous complaint. _She knew who it was_. She knew, Julio, I'm telling you." Ken said to the disbelieving look.

"How could she know if it was an anonymous tip?" Julio asked. Ken shook his head.

"Because she knew the complaintent was male. And the look on her face... It was as if she'd seen a ghost. Just... Do me a favor and be careful of this one. She's trouble and I don't mean in a good way." Ken said. Julio glanced at the red head who was sitting at her desk, talking with Flynn about something. Ken watched with a sinking heart as his friend's face softened a little, something Ken hadn't seen since Linda. _Son of a bitch..._ Ken thought to himself as the almost permanent tension in Julio's shoulders softened and his entire body language opened like a book. _He's already fallen and hard. I can't talk him out of it... At least I can warn him_. he thought grimly and put his hand on his best friend's shoulder. "You know I'm here if you need me and hell, even if you don't. I've got a bad feeling, not about her," he said quickly at the sharp look and dark expression. "Just about this business with the complaint and the complaintent. Please, for me, your friend, be careful of her." he pleaded and finally Julio nodded.

"All right." he said. Ken shook his head. _Liar_, he thought, but didn't voice it.

"Good. Don't disappoint me, okay?" he said and gave his friend a brief hug. Julio returned it and Ken pulled back a second later. They walked out, with Ken grabbing his briefcase, Julio paused to stare at Elizabeth.

"Do you really think she's trouble?" Julio asked quietly.

"No, not her personally. But she's got trouble in her past and the past has a way of catching up to people." he said and clapped Julio on the shoulder. "I'll see you later, brother." he said and waved to Elizabeth as he left. She waved back as Julio walked over to his desk.

"Hey, everything okay?" she asked, tilting her head over the back of the chair to look up at him. He grinned at her long red hair flowing down and out.

"Yeah, it's just fine." he said and sat down at his desk. Elizabeth glanced at the clock. 4:30.

"Lord have mercy, it's been a long day." she said, groaning as she flexed her shoulders. "Oh, that reminds me." she said and reached for her cellphone. She got up and slipped into the breakroom for a moment. She seemed to be talking animatedly while she poured a cup of coffee. Julio raised an eyebrow as she piled sugar in. Four semi-heaping teaspoons before hanging up and coming back out, sipping her coffee.

"Have a little coffee with your sugar?" Julio asked and Elizabeth made a face at him.

"Ha, ha," she retorted. "I hate the bitter taste of coffee and a little sugar makes it easier for me to take." she said. Flynn snorted.

"It might help if there was actual coffee in that cup and not just sugar." he said.

"Oh, shut up, the both of you." Elizabeth snapped. She sighed and ran her hand over her face. "Sorry." she said. Flynn glanced at the clock again.

"Go home, get some rest. We'll call if anything happens." he said. Elizabeth opened her mouth to argue, but Flynn held up his hand. "That's an order." he said and Elizabeth nodded.

"Yes, sir." she said, getting up and grabbing her things. "Oh, keep the boots." she said to Julio, who buried his face in his report. She grinned when she could see the blush around the tip of his ears.

_25...26...27...28_

Elizabeth groaned and tossed her purse onto her couch, kicked her boots off and plopped down in the chair. She felt a surge of annoyance at the thought that she'd have to call the supervisors and tell them she was home. The phone rang and Elizabeth groaned, reaching to pick it up.

"Hello?" Elizabeth asked.

"Hi, Lizzie." the voice said and Elizabeth's heart contracted. "Miss me?" the voice asked and Elizabeth remained silent. "So, how's the wetback doin'? You screwin' him yet?" Elizabeth pulled the cordless phone away from her ear and hit the button to turn it off. She put a hand over her eyes and tried not to give into the trembling of her hands. She sighed and clicked the phone on, dialing one of the supervisors of the boys she let come help around the farm.

"Hi, Cathy? I'm home, so you don't have to come over to feed. Yeah, no, I can call Donna. Oh, okay. Sure, yeah. All right, I'll talk to you tomorrow. Thank you." Elizabeth said and clicked the phone off, getting up to hang it back up. She kicked her socks off and padded into her kitchen. She pulled out a small container of frozen soup, dropped it into a small pan to slowly thaw and heat while she went out to feed her animals.

_One, one thousand... Two one thousand...Three one thousand... Four one thousand..._

"Hi, Molly." Elizabeth said, scratching the forehead of the pregnant animal. The cow butted her hand and Elizabeth laughed. "Okay, Mama, okay." she said and poured the small amount of grain, alfalfa flowers cut up and a mash of warm bran into the feeder for her. The cow settled into her feed as Elizabeth entered the stall to run her hands over the heifer's sides as the calf shifted in the womb. "Good girl, Mama. Good girl." Elizabeth said, patting the heifer's back. Elizabeth finished feeding her animals and had just walked into her house when the phone rang. She cursed, grabbed the phone and dashed into the kitchen to turn the soup, which had just started to burn, off. "Yeah, what?" Elizabeth demanded.

"Hello to you too! Can you come to the Chief's house?" Julio asked. "I'll give you the address."

"Sorry, didn't mean to snap. I was just about to eat though." she protested. When Julio spoke, Elizabeth could hear the little boy grin.

"Oh, don't worry about that. The Chief's parents are visiting. It's gonna be good." he said. Elizabeth muttered softly, the phone cradled against her shoulder.

"Yeah sure, hang on." Elizabeth said and grabbed a pen and paper. As Julio gave her the address, Elizabeth cradled the phone between her head and shoulder, writing with her left hand. "All right, tell Chief Johnson I'll be right there." Elizabeth said and hung up the phone, ripping the paper off and setting it next to her cellphone so she wouldn't forget it. Elizabeth grabbed a spoon and tasted the soup. She grimaced at the flavor. It was freezer burned and burned from the stove. She sighed and emptied the soup down the drain, rinsed the pan and went to change her clothes. She pulled a fresh pair of jeans on, a white tank top and a blue men's shirt over it, then her jean jacket because it was cold at night in Los Angeles. She grabbed her cross out of her jewelry box and pulled it back on, muttering a brief Hail Mary as she did. She put her gun back on her belt, stamped into a pair of well-worn black boots and snapped her badge to her belt. She stared at her purse for a long moment, debating taking it or not.

"Screw it." she muttered, retrieving the men's wallet she used and stuffing it into her back pocket. Her cellphone started ringing as she reached to shove it in it's case. It was Provenza. "Yes, Lieutenant?" she asked as she snatched her keys, knife and other pocket items, stuffing them in the appropriate side. She paused to grab a large bowl of her brownies.

"Will you get here already? I'm starving and Willie Rae is holding dinner until you get here!" he hissed and Elizabeth blinked.

"Willie Rae?" she asked as she walked out the door and locked it behind her. She glanced at the pasture, content to see everyone grazing happily.

"Chief Johnson's mother! Just, hurry up! What? No, you can't-!"

"Don't listen to him, Elizabeth. There's plenty of time for you to get here." Julio said and Elizabeth could hear Provenza sputtering excuses in the background.

"I'm on my way there now. I'll see you there in a few minutes." Elizabeth said and Julio hung up. She shook her head at him and climbed into her truck, pulling out the slip of paper with the address and tucking it around a vent so she could look at the address. Even with the address right there, she took a few minutes to find the place. As if the RV wasn't an indication. Just as Elizabeth parked the F-150 along the curb, the door opened and Julio came out to greet her.

"About time." he said. Elizabeth snorted, reaching to grab the bowl of brownies. Julio's eyes lit up as he caught sight of the brownies through the cellophane. He started to lift the cellophane, but Elizabeth shifted the bowl to one hand and swatted his hand.

"Leave it alone." she said as Julio pulled his hand back and opened the door for her.

"Hello, hello, hello!" Willie Rae said and didn't miss the look Julio shot Elizabeth as she smiled widely in response to the older woman's cheerfulness. The tension in his shoulders eased and an open expression crossed his face. "Aren't you going to introduce us, Detective Sanchez?" Willie Rae said and Julio smiled.

"Willie Rae Johnson, meet Elizabeth Walker." Julio said and Elizabeth shifted the bowl and reached out to shake her hand.

"Pleased to meet you, ma'am." Elizabeth said. Willie Rae waved her hand.

"Oh, none of that 'ma'am' nonsense!" she said and Elizabeth's smile widened. "Ooh, what do you have here?" Willie Rae said and lifted the cellophane. "Brownies?" she asked.

"My speciality, ma'- Willie Rae," Elizabeth corrected herself. "I thought I might provide dessert. Although," she glanced into the loud mess of people in the dining room. "I don't think I made enough." she said. Willie Rae took the bowl from her.

"Well, don't you worry," she said, putting her hand on Elizabeth's arm. "They won't go to waste! Brenda Leigh, are you into those sweets again?" Willie Rae called as Julio motioned for Elizabeth to follow him into the dining room. Elizabeth only heard the first part of the Chief's reply, in a somewhat whiny tone, as the noise of everybody talking at once assaulted her ears. She flinched as Tao tried to yell something to her. She shook her head, shrugging to show she couldn't understand him. With a roll of his eyes, Julio let out a piercing whistle.

"What's going on?" he asked in the sudden dead silence.

"We're havin' a discussion-" Provenza said as Flynn snorted.

"At the top of our lungs." he muttered.

"About whether Bobby killed his brother or not." Provenza continued as if Andy hadn't spoken. "I think he did and Bonehead here," he gestured at Flynn who rolled his eyes. "Doesn't think he did."

"An identical twin wouldn't kill their twin, it's as simple as that. What do you think?" he asked, gesturing at Elizabeth as if she was the tie-breaker.

"I've never heard a case of it. Doesn't mean it can't happen." she said with a shrug.

"What the hell kind of answer is that? That doesn't do a damn thing in the way of deciding this!" Provenza said. Elizabeth sighed as the arguing resumed.

"Why don't we let the evidence decide that?" Brenda said, interrupting the arguing before it could really get going again. "Now, if ya'll sit down, we can start goin' over what we have!" Brenda said. They all, including Elizabeth, took a seat.

"Yes, Chief." Sanchez said, pulling out a chair for him and Elizabeth, who echoed his reply.

"Yes, Chief."

"Sure, Chief." Andy said.

"I am not sitting next to- Yes, Chief." Provenza said, quailing under the fierce look Brenda shot him.

"Have a seat, Chief." Gabriel said, pulling out her chair for her.

"Okay, Chief." Tao said, sitting down and sliding his glasses ontop of his head.

"Now, that's better. Gabriel, you first." Brenda said and as the young man started to read his report, simply restating what they knew, Elizabeth took a moment to look around the table. If she had to guess, she'd guess she was the youngest member. Gabriel, obviously back in favor, was the next oldest from her, then Julio, Tao, Brenda, Flynn and Provenza. Roughly. There was also Special Agent Fritz Howard, the Chief's husband and appearently the kitchen supervisor as he munched on a celery stick, and Buzz. Chief Pope and Captain Raydor made up the rest of the 'squad'. "-Walker. Elizabeth!" Brenda called, snapping Elizabeth out of her musings. Elizabeth ignored the blush that spread over her cheeks as all eyes turned to her.

"Sorry, Chief, just thinking." Elizabeth replied. The truth was, David Gabriel had the kind of voice that Elizabeth found very, very easy to tune out as he went back over the facts they already knew.

"Anything interesting?" Julio asked quietly.

"Well..." Elizabeth drew it out, desperately going over their facts to try to gain enough time to come up with _something_. "These karaoke champions... They move from competition to competition and that makes it kind of hard to talk to them without telephone numbers or any contact information." she said slowly, following her train of thought. "I think, and this is just a thought, that we may have to wait until they congregate at the next big competition here in town and talk to them all at once." Elizabeth said.

"I already thought about that," Tao said and all eyes turned from Elizabeth to him and she breathed a silent sigh of relief. "I checked. The next competition is next week." he said.

"Well, we can't wait that long. The killer, or killers, will be long gone by then and any evidence with them!" Brenda said, exasperation clear as her head sank into her hands. Fritz, who had been chased into the room by Willie Rae for being in the way, took a noisy bite of his celery stick.

"Why not organize one?" he suggested and Brenda's head snapped up to look at him.

"What did you say?" she asked. Fritz swallowed.

"If you can't wait for the next karaoke competition, organize one. Disguise it as a benefit competition for the Police Pension for Widows fund, in honor of Chief Delk, of course, and say the money for tickets will go to the fund and all karaoke comers are welcome." he said. Brenda smiled widely.

"Ooh! I knew I loved you for a reason!" she said, getting up and kissing him. Fritz smiled.

"I thought it was just my rugged good looks." he said and Brenda giggled. Willie Rae walked in, tsking at the sight of the messy table.

"If you all will get that table cleared, then dinner is ready!" she said. Eight pairs of hands immediately gathered, stacked and set the files off to the side as Clay brought out the plates and silverware to be placed and passed around. The table was filled with good food and Clay took the seat at the head of the table. "Elizabeth, since you're new, why don't you say grace?" Willie Rae suggested. Brenda stared at the food, hunger evident

"Mama-"

"It's okay, Chief. My family has a special grace for times like this," Elizabeth said with a mischevious smile. "In the name of the good lord, good friends, good food, good meat, good _god, let's eat_." Elizabeth said and the dining room filled with the clatter of plates, bowls, spoons and voices.

_29...30...31...32..._

Please R&R!


	4. Chapter 3

Well, the reliable source has said that I was spot on with Willie Rae and the rest... I'd like to hear from you guys. How'd I do? Did I miss anybody's tone? But aside from that, enjoy the third chapter!

Disclaimer: Sanchez, Brenda, Fritz, Will Pope, Provenza, Flynn, Tao, Buzz, Gabriel and Dr. Morales belong to James Duff, the other creators of the Closer and TNT. Elizabeth, Benny and Bobby Frizzell belong to me.

_33...34...35...36..._

Elizabeth idly moved the Queen of Hearts onto the King of Spades and tried to ignore the restless feeling in her chest. If there was one thing she could honestly say she hated more than liver, romance novels and bad soap operas, it had to be desk duty. Flynn and Provenza were off trying to locate some of the local karaoke champions, Tao, Buzz and Sanchez were searching the victims apartment with Chief Johnson and Gabriel. The phones were quiet and there was no word from the coroner on official cause of death. Even with the Chief's visit the day before, Dr. Morales still hadn't found a cause of death that wasn't a heart attack. A pair of footsteps snapped through Elizabeth's boredom and she turned to see Interim Chief of Police William Pope approaching. She started get up, but he waved her back down.

"So, desk duty, huh?" he asked and Elizabeth nodded.

"Yes, sir." she said and Will nodded with a smile.

"So, how are you liking Major Crimes?" he asked. Elizabeth shrugged.

"I don't know. I haven't done much yet." she said.

"Well, I think I can talk to Captain Raydor and get things speeded up." he said. Elizabeth shook her head.

"I don't want you to get into trouble, sir." she said. Will shook his head.

"It looks bad for a Major Crimes detective to be sitting around," Will peered at her computer screen for a moment. Elizabeth turned bright red. "Playing solitare all day." he said just as Brenda came walking in with Gabriel beside her, Tao, Sanchez and Buzz following and talking about something, while Flynn and Provenza were discussing, again, at the top of their lungs. Brenda rubbed her forehead as a minor headache started to take on migraine characteristics.

"Gentlemen!" Brenda snapped and all six men came to a stop. "Lieutenants Flynn and Provenza, what are you two arguing about _this_ time?" Brenda demanded.

"Nothing, Chief." Flynn said and Provenza nodded. Sanchez dropped his head, trying to hide a grin at the look the Chief was shooting them.

"Detective Sanchez," his head snapped up to look at her. "Do you know what is going on?" she demanded. Julio shot a look at Provenza.

"No, ma'am." he said. Brenda stared at him, silently demanding the truth. "Well, Chief, you see, Lieutenant Provenza used to sing karaoke." Julio said as Provenza made a noise bordering on violent protest. "And he's attempting to convince Lieutenant Flynn, who doesn't want to know." he said and Flynn nodded empathetically as Provenza glared at the younger man.

"I see. And what does this have to do with this case?" Brenda asked. Julio glanced at Gabriel, who nodded slightly.

"Lieutenant Provenza is advocating an undercover approach. He's volunteering to sing." David said.

"Oh dear god..." Brenda muttered, rubbing her temples. "I will take it under advisement." Brenda said as sweetly as possible. She turned and blinked to see Will waiting for her.

"Chief Johnson." he said, with an inclination of his head.

"What are you doing here?" she asked and Will spread his arms.

"I'm here to assist." he said. Brenda looked vaguely suspicious as the others spread out to their desks. Julio caught a glimpse of a game of solitare on Elizabeth's computer screen.

"Solitare?" he asked. Elizabeth shrugged.

"I'm waiting for a search to finish." she said. Elizabeth's hands ran over the keyboard and Julio watched in fascination as she manipulated the keyboard. "Not quite done yet." she said and switched back to her game.

"What's the search?" Julio asked. Elizabeth's eyes flickered to the bottom of the screen and she hesitated before answering.

"Oh, um, attendee's at the last Karaoke competition." she said as her fingers flashed back over the keyboard with almost scary accuracy. "Just getting addresses for Lieutenants Flynn and Provenza." she said and Julio nodded, not believing her in the slightest. There was something else going on with her. Ken's warning flashed through his mind. She waited till the count of three and hit another combination of keys. The printer flashed, whirred and single sheet of paper kicked out.

"Well, that didn't take long." he said slowly, indicating the fact that he hadn't believed her lie.

"They sometimes end fast like that." she said, letting the double entendre hang in the air. Julio snorted.

"Not for me." he said and Elizabeth grinned at his retort.

"I'm sure they don't." she said.

_37...38...39...40..._

Julio debated whether or not to ask Tao for help. It wasn't against protocol, per se, he and Provenza hadn't had any trouble doing it when Ruben... Julio broke off that line of thought. That was still painful. Elizabeth had been called in to see Raydor, with the specific instruction to tell Chief Johnson that she was in absolutely no trouble and did not need a union rep. She simply had to sign a formal report.

"Tao, could you help me a second?" Julio asked, getting up to sit on the edge of Michael Tao's desk.

"Sure, Julio, what do you need?" the Lieutenant asked, peering at him over his glasses.

"Could you check Elizabeth's computer log? Her searches?" Sanchez asked. Tao's mouth opened, then closed.

"I don't-" Tao paused as Julio raised an eyebrow. "Look, that was for your own good." he said defensively.

"I know, okay? I get it. But... Look, I think she's in some kind of trouble and it's not against regs. You're a higher rank, you're just checking on the wellbeing of a junior colleague." Julio said. Tao sighed and nodded.

"All right. All right! Just... Don't tell her it was me. I had enough of that _last_ time." he said. Julio grinned at him. "Bring her laptop over." he said. Julio, with a quick check of the hallway, unplugged the power cord and brought it over. Tao lifted the lid, searching around for a moment before finding the right registry.

"She's been doing searches in the... Tulsa Penal system. For a Kiernan." Tao said and pointed it out to Julio.

"'John Kiernan'? Who the hell is that?" Julio asked. As Tao was about to do more digging, a familiar voice echoed down the hall.

"-good. I enjoy working with them." Elizabeth's voice drifted down the hallway. Cursing, Julio motioned for Tao to quickly close out the program and snatched up the laptop, closing the lid with a little more force than necessary, wincing a little. He'd almost made it to her desk when Elizabeth walked in with Captain Raydor. "Something wrong with my laptop?" Elizabeth asked neutrally as Sharon walked over to knock on the Chief's door, then enter.

"Just updating the search software." Tao said and Elizabeth's poker face held, though a muscle under her eye twitched as she resisted the urge to glance at the slightly guility expression on Julio's face.

"Oh, thanks." she said and Julio handed her the computer. He walked back around to his desk and sat down, watching out of his periphary. She was concentrating on doing something, then she looked at him and Lieutenant Tao.

"So... How'd it go with Captain Raydor?" Julio asked innocently.

"Oh, good. I'm off desk duty. I was cleared of the accusation." Elizabeth replied. Julio smiled and nodded, returning to his work.

"_You have an Update_." the departments automated update voice chirped from Elizabeth's speakers. Tao shot a look at Julio, who was desperately trying to become one with his filing.

"Wow, that was the fastest update ever." Elizabeth said, looking at them, waiting for a give away. They both met her gaze equally, playing the innocent act perfectly.

"Sure was." Julio said.

"Actually, I had forgotten to give you the previous update before I gave you that computer. Sorry." Michael said and Elizabeth nodded. It was slightest inclination, but it said volumes about their ability to lie to her and be believed.

"And the inquiry into my search logs?" Elizabeth asked quietly and Tao was saved by his phone ringing. Her gaze turned to Julio, who was buried in a report. "Okay." she muttered and her tone clearly stated it was anything but. Julio used the excuse that it was for her own good to settle the slightly queasy feeling in his stomach.

"Detective Sanchez, Detective Walker," Brenda said, striding into the squadroom. Both Detectives rose to their feet. "Come with me. We're going to the coroner's office." she said. Elizabeth reached for her gun and glanced at Julio. He nodded, attaching his own gun to his belt as she clipped her gun on her left side and badge on her right. Swinging her jacket on, they followed Brenda out of the squadroom to the garage where they climbed into her car. Julio drove and Elizabeth sat shotgun as Brenda sat in the back.

"Tao was telling the truth, about the update." Julio said quietly, where only Elizabeth could hear.

"Hm-mh." she replied non-commitally. The rest of the ride was made in silence.

_Five one thousand... Six one thousand... Seven one thousand... Eight one thousand..._

"You know something? I have never seen a victim come in here, without any obvious bruising, injury or cause of death." Dr. Morales said as they stepped into Autopsy. "Ever. It took me a long time to find something that killed him. Aside from one too many hamburgers from McDonalds." he said, glancing at the body.

"So what killed him?" Brenda asked.

"Oddly enough, something that looked like a heart attack. See this?" Dr. Morales pointed to an x-ray of the body. "This ventricle was clogged. I figured it was plaque build up, the classic cause of a heart attack." he said.

"Well if it wasn't that, what was it?" Brenda asked.

"A blood clot." Morales said. "Only, it wasn't." he said and all eyes turned to look at him. "Okay, blood clotters are used to thicken blood to stop bleeding, right?" he asked.

"Yeah, it's used for surgery patients." Elizabeth said. "I've been reading up." she shrugged at the curious looks.

"Well, this man was given blood thickener over a period of months. It was injected here." he said and lifted the sheet to show marks on the stomach.

"Aren't those marks a diabetic would have? If they had to inject their insulin." Elizabeth said. Morales nodded.

"Exactly. I think his insulin was tampered with." he said. "I don't know how, that's your job," he gestured at Brenda. "But his insulin was tampered with, in such a way that the blood thickener went from under his skin, where insulin is normally injected, to his bloodstream and thickened into a clot before it reached his heart. At least he didn't suffer." he said.

"What was he doin' in that part of town though?" Brenda wondered out loud. Morales shrugged.

"Maybe there was a McDonalds he prefered." he said snidely.

_41...42...43...44..._

Leading them into the squadroom, Brenda bumped against Provenza's chair to wake him up from his nap. He jumped as they seperated.

"What did Dr. Morales have to say?" Provenza asked. Brenda gestured for Elizabeth to speak. Tao finished printing off photos Morales had emailed over and passed them to her.

"Dr. Morales finally found what seemed to kill our victim, Benny Frizzell. Benny was a diabetic and was forced to inject his insulin daily, probably twice a day." Elizabeth put up the photos. "Morales thinks that somewhere along the way, Benny's insulin was tampered with and injected with a blood thickener." Elizabeth said, turning to move so they could see the new photos.

"But, how would that happen? Wouldn't the thickener make the insulin worthless?" Flynn asked.

"I don't think so. The insulin is absorbed into the muscles from under the skin, acting as a replacement for the pancreas not creating enough." Tao said, shaking his head. "What I can't figure out is how the thickener got into the blood. The worst is that he'd get muscles cramps from reduced blood flow in the muscles." he said.

"Could that be how? Unless you give it in major doses, blood thickener takes a while to work." Elizabeth asked.

"It's possible. Did we recover any insulin from his apartment?" Tao asked and Gabriel consulted the list of evidence.

"A vial and a half. Humulin." he said. Brenda nodded.

"Lieutenant Tao, call down to evidence and have them send the insulin to the lab, then call the lab and have them test the insulin for blood thickener. Sargent Gabriel, do we have the name of the pharmacy?" Brenda asked.

"Haven's Pharmacy. It's... Chief, its in the same neighborhood where we found Frizzell's body." Gabriel said. Brenda nodded and peered at the photos.

"At least we know why he was there." she murmured. "Detectives Sanchez and Walker, please go speak to the pharmacist. And try to find the killer this outing." Brenda said and Elizabeth blushed.

"Yes, ma'am." she said and clipped her gun to her belt, along with her badge and grabbed her jacket.

"This time, _you_ can get puked on." Julio muttered. Elizabeth laughed.

"Yeah, but it looks better on you." she giggled as they waited for the elevator.

_45...46...47...48..._

They took Julio's car this time and he drove. Elizabeth settled into the seat and watched LA go by. Her cellphone vibrated against her side and she pulled it out, flipping the lid open. Her expression soured as she recongized the number. She snapped it shut and placed it back in the case.

"Who was that?" Julio asked.

"Nobody." she said, turning back to look out the window. As LA whizzed past them, Elizabeth shifted in her seat as her phone buzzed again. She reached down and lifted it out.

"Won't take the hint, will they?" Julio asked. Elizabeth hit 'ignore' and then flipped the ringer to vibrate only. It started to ring as she went to put it away. She growled something under her breath and hit 'ignore' again. She tucked it away as Julio watched her out of the corner of his eyes. She looked angry and withdrawn, almost hiding. "You okay?"

"Yeah." she said shortly and Julio nodded. He didn't believe her for a minute, but that didn't mean he was going to push it. They both had their own secrets and he wasn't going to pry into hers. Parking in front of the pharmacy, Elizabeth stepped out, sliding her sunglasses on. Julio came around the front of the car and joined her. Elizabeth clamped down on the slight feeling of nervousness. She'd seen worse in the slums in Tulsa. The clerk was Mexican and only spoke spanish. His dialect was one that Elizabeth didn't know, leaving Julio the only one who could speak with him. She caught a word now and then, but only in passing. After a few minutes, Julio thanked him and they said good-bye. "Well?" she asked. Sanchez glanced at a couple obvious gang members and Elizabeth picked up on it. They were almost out of the pharmacy when the two decided to make a scene.

"Look at this! A couple of police officers, alone, in our neighborhood, hows about that?" one said, circling in front of them. Julio's expression darkened and Elizabeth slid into a defensive posture. She was a belt and a degree from her black belt, but it was enough to defend herself, especially with the hand-to-hand combat taught by the academy.

"And one of them a pretty lady..." the other trailed off, grinning lecherously.

"Boys." Elizabeth replied neutrally. If they could be talked down, then there would be no reason to report any of this to Captain Raydor. She'd seen enough of the woman to last her a lifetime.

"Oh, we're not boys. We're men." the first one said and Julio snorted.

"Do your mothers know you're playing gangsters?" he asked. Elizabeth grinned. The boys laughed and Elizabeth tensed.

"That's funny. That really is." he said. Julio's hand brushed hers as he moved it to his belt. Understanding the signal, Elizabeth eased a hand around to turn her radio on. It was dialed to the frequency of the LAPD, carrying the threatening language to back up.

"We try." Elizabeth said and one licked his lips as he eyed her.

"So, you gotta boyfriend? You want one?" he asked, taking a step forward. Instinctively, because it was in his nature to protect those he cared about, Julio took a step forward, in front of Elizabeth. The boys exchanged looks and sly smiles appeared. "Oh... So you do have a boyfriend? Well, seems she likes Mexicans... Think she'll like us?" he asked and Elizabeth's heart started to thud.

"I'd rather screw a cockroach. Which is what it would be like with you two." Elizabeth said lightly and the sly smiles were replaced with furious snarls. They lunged. Julio took the thug to his left and Elizabeth took the thug to his right. She let him punch her once in the cheek, before catching his other wrist and using it to twist his arm up behind his back as two squad cars screamed onto the scene. Julio was having a harder time with his as Elizabeth made her thug kneel and cuffed his hands behind his back and made him lay on the floor. Julio grunted as the thug headbutted him. Elizabeth, from a crouch, lunged and knocked the other boy down. He slammed his fist on her shoulders, but she grabbed his arm and, like with her thug, twisted his arm up behind his back. The uniformed officers burst in about that time and Elizabeth motioned for one to give her his cuffs. She cuffed him and passed him off to one of the uniforms. Julio was sitting up with his head tilted back and blood trickling out of his nose.

"You okay?" Elizabeth asked. The look he gave her said he wasn't. She grabbed a handkerchief and handed it to him. "Use that." she said and Julio replaced the bloody hanky he was using with hers.

"I'll stain it." he said, his voice nasally because of his nose.

"I know how to get blood out. Come on." Elizabeth said and helped him up. He kept his head tilted back and let her lead him.

"Do you want to go to the hospital?" a uniform asked and Elizabeth glanced at Julio.

"Just have a paramedic check me out." he said and Elizabeth shook her head.

"Can't you go to the hospital? You need to be checked out." Elizabeth said.

"I'm okay." he said as he sat down on the amublance bumper. A car, with the lights going, pulled up and Elizabeth groaned as Chief Johnson, Provenza and Gabriel got out.

"I'm going to stop sending you two out!" Brenda said, gesturing at the two men who were being loaded into the back of a squad car.

"Are you okay, Julio?" Louie asked and Sanchez nodded shortly.

"It's not our fault! We got the information and we were leaving, when these two approached us! We were just defending ourselves." Elizabeth said.

"After provoking them!" Brenda said.

"Chief." Julio said, the trickle of blood stemmed and his nose set, allowing him to put his head down and look at the two.

"They were threatening to assault me!" Elizabeth retorted.

"There were better ways to talk them down." Gabriel offered. Both women glared at him and he backed off a step, hands raised in a gesture of surrender.

"There were better ways to talk them down!" Brenda snapped.

"Chief!" Julio shouted, catching their attention. "Elizabeth is right. They were threatening to assault her. No matter what we would have said, they would have attacked. You'll notice neither of us fired our weapons." he said, dispelling some of the tension.

"All right. Follow us back to the murder room." Brenda said and Julio started back for the drivers side, but Elizabeth intercepted him.

"Oh, no, I'm driving. You're in no condition." she said.

"It's just a broken nose!" Julio retorted.

"You're not driving." she said and pointed at the riders side. With a muttered curse, he walked around to climb into the riders side. Elizabeth slid into the drivers seat and buckled in. She pulled out behind Gabriel, following him back to the precinct.

"I don't like riding." Julio said sourly. Elizabeth laughed.

"Just relax." she said, coming to a stop behind Gabriel's SUV at an intersection. Julio's cellphone rang and he reached down to get it as the light turned green. Gabriel's blue SUV pulled out as Elizabeth eased off the brakes.

"Hello? Hi, Chief. Yeah. Oh, sorry." he said and started to give her the information as Elizabeth accelerated after Gabriel. A black SUV came screaming towards the silver car, not slowing down as Elizabeth laid on the horn. Swearing viciously, she threw the car into reverse, and hit the gas, instinctively turning the wheel to make the end of the car aim into an empty lane and the tires squealed as the car peeled backwards. Dimly, Elizabeth heard Brenda almost screaming over the phone, asking if they were all right as the black SUV roared by, inches from the front bumper. Elizabeth hit the brakes just before the ass end of the car slammed into a light pole. Julio managed to calm both his breathing and the Chief down at the same time. "We're okay, Chief, we're okay. No, I didn't get the license plate. Yes, we're both all right. Elizabeth, are you okay? Elizabeth?" Julio asked. Her face was pale and her breathing was ragged.

"I... Uh... Yeah, I'm okay." she said and managed a weak smile. As Julio went back to talking to Brenda, Elizabeth pulled out behind Gabriel. Glancing down, she noticed her hands were shaking and tightened her grip on the wheel, trying to make them stop. She concentrated on the SUV in front of them, not thinking about the familiar face behind the wheel of the SUV that had tried to t-bone them.

_49... 50... 51... 52..._

Please R&R!


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